How to Set Up Google Workspace Sync for Outlook (GWSMO)

Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO) lets you use Outlook on Windows with a Google Workspace account, syncing email, calendar, and contacts both ways. It is the current name for the tool that used to be called Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GASMO, then GSSMO). You install it on Windows, point it at your Google Workspace login, and it creates an Outlook profile that talks to Google instead of Exchange.

Key facts

• The tool is now called Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO); the old “Google Apps Sync” name is the same product under earlier branding.
• GWSMO is Windows only. It does not run on Outlook for Mac, because Outlook for Mac does not support MAPI.
• You need a paid Google Workspace account; the tool does not work with free personal Gmail accounts.
• The installer is available from Google at tools.google.com/dlpage/gssmo.
• An administrator must enable API access in the Google Admin console before GWSMO can connect.

What is Google Workspace Sync for Outlook?

GWSMO is a Google-built plug-in that connects a desktop copy of Microsoft Outlook on Windows to a Google Workspace account. It keeps mail, calendar events, and contacts in sync between the two, so staff who prefer the Outlook interface can keep using it while the mailbox lives in Google. Google renamed the tool over the years, from Google Apps Sync to G Suite Sync to the current Google Workspace Sync, but the job it does has stayed the same.

In our experience the people who reach for GWSMO are usually mid-migration: a business that has moved to Google Workspace but has a handful of users who will not give up Outlook. It works, but it is a bridge, not a destination.

How do you set up GWSMO?

Setup is a five-step job once your administrator has turned on API access in the Google Admin console.

1. Download the installer from tools.google.com/dlpage/gssmo. Use the EXE for a single machine or the MSI for a managed rollout.
2. Run the installer. Close Outlook first if it is open.
3. When the setup window appears, enter your Google Workspace email address and sign in through the browser prompt, then approve the permissions.
4. Leave “Import data from existing profile” unticked unless you specifically want to pull in an old PST, then create the profile.
5. Start Outlook and choose the new Google Workspace profile. The first sync can take a while on a large mailbox.

Is GWSMO still worth using?

For most Sydney SMEs the honest answer is that GWSMO is a stopgap, not a long-term plan. Google has let the tool’s maintenance slow over the years, and version-specific bugs have caused Outlook to crash on some Windows builds, with Google advising affected users to roll back a version. A couple of features Outlook users expect, such as public folders and Rich Text Format, are not supported.

If your business is committed to Google Workspace, the cleaner path is to use the Gmail and Google Calendar web apps, or the native Outlook account setup for basic IMAP mail. If you are committed to Outlook, that usually points to Microsoft 365 instead. (We have this conversation with new clients more often than you would think.)

Frequently asked questions

Does Google Workspace Sync work on a Mac?

No. GWSMO is a Windows-only tool. Outlook for Mac does not support the MAPI interface GWSMO relies on, so there is no Mac version. Mac users on Google Workspace should use the Gmail and Calendar web apps or add the account to Outlook for Mac over IMAP and CalDAV.

Can I use GWSMO with a free Gmail account?

No. GWSMO only works with paid Google Workspace accounts that an administrator manages. Free personal Gmail accounts are not supported, and the admin must enable API access for the domain before it will connect.

Outlook keeps crashing after installing GWSMO. What do I do?

This is usually a version bug rather than a broken install. Check the GWSMO release notes for the current recommended version, then either update to the latest build or roll back to the last known-stable one through the download page. Reboot and recreate the Outlook profile if the crash persists.

If you are weighing up Google Workspace against Microsoft 365 for your team, or untangling a half-finished migration, that is the kind of decision we help Sydney businesses get right. Happy to take a look at your setup if it would help.